Drivers Hard-Won Pay Raise is Finally Here

Join Us to End Race to Bottom Once and For All

We demanded a living wage. We came together. We organized. We won.

Thanks to all the drivers who came together with IDG, every Uber, Lyft, Juno, and Via driver in New York City won a landmark pay floor raise – the first of its kind in US history. We are putting an end to the race to the bottom that has harmed drivers all across the for-hire vehicle industry: black cars, yellow and green cabs, livery and app-based. Now that our drivers have set this important pay precedent, join us to be a part of setting standards for the industry.

For years, Uber and the big app companies have grown more rich and powerful, while the drivers they made millions off, had to work longer and longer hours simply to pay the rent. So IDG members came together to demand fair pay. We fought the corporate cronies and forced the TLC to pass the nation’s first For-Hire-Vehicle (FHV) pay floor, and combat the rampant exploitation of our drivers by big apps.

Thanks to the work of IDG members, as of February 1st, 2019 every New York Uber, Lyft, Via and Juno driver is guaranteed a baseline wage, which amounts to a pay raise of about $9,600 for each driver, annually. Altogether, this raise will result in over $700 million in the hands of drivers and their families every year.

Unfortunately, despite a year of record revenue, Lyft and Juno sued to avoid paying their drivers the new living wage. But after weeks of IDG keeping the pressure on, it seems Lyft may be starting to see the light and has committed to pay the wage (at least for now).

There are still important battles ahead. We called for a cap on company commissions and a higher pay floor for more expensive app-based services like Black. Thousands of you signed the petition and we urge you to join us to win those fights. A rising tide lifts all boats and a raise for app-based black car drivers will also lift drivers across the black car industry.

While the TLC hasn’t given us everything we’ve called for, and we have more battles to fight before our drivers are guaranteed the pay they deserve, the new pay floor is a major victory for our New York-based FHV drivers and their families to celebrate. But it’s an even bigger industry precedent.

Big app has finally been put on notice.

To all the app-based drivers: Enjoy your long overdue pay raise and join your fellow driversas we turn our eyes to tomorrow’s battles.

Article by Ryan Price

Ryan Price is Executive Director of the Independent Drivers Guild, an affiliate of the International Association of Machinists, which represents and advocates for more than 60,000 app-based drivers in New York City. We’re Uber, Lyft, Juno, Via workers united for a fair industry.